Taipei is the capital of the Republic of China and the largest city in Taiwan, a small but dynamic high-tech island off the southeastern coast of China. Located in central East Asia, Taiwan is connected with all East Asian and West Pacific countries (e.g., Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and many others) quickly and affordably.

Taiwan enjoys the freest government in Asia, according to Freedom House's report. Taiwan is rich in Chinese culture. The National Palace Museum in Taipei holds the world's largest collection of Chinese artifacts, artwork, and imperial archives.

Taipei is the center of Taiwan's economics, culture, media, and education. There are many private companies and public institutions here in IT, media, education, tourism, and other businesses who are able and willing to provide abundant sponsorships. These sponsorships will cover all the cost of venue, facilities, catering, parties, accommodation, accidental medical insurance, and even some travel scholarships. Taipei is a highly developed city in Asia with excellent infrastructure for international conventions and tourism, yet Taipei has an unbelievably low cost-of-living index.

Taipei is also blessed by a large, organized, and experienced local Wikimedia community. Countrywide meet-ups are held every three months, usually in Taipei; and several Wikipedians in this bidding team were among major organizers of Chinese Wikimedia Conference 2006.

The residential building (right) is connected with the convention building (left), which houses the CCK Grand Hall.

Chien Tan Overseas Youth Activity Center

CTOYAC and neighborhood.

Taipei offers a scenic, spacious, well-isolated, and all-inclusive conference venue in a busy and convenient area of Taipei, and all cost on venue, technical facilities, catering, parties, and accommodation is covered by local sponsorship. Therefore, Wikimedia Foundation doesn't need to pay by itself.

Chien Tan Overseas Youth Activity Center (25.078° N 121.524° E) is a comprehensive convention center in a large and quiet landscape garden by Keelung River and Chien Tan Peak in a scenic and busy area of central north Taipei. There are three connected buildings: a 10-story residential building facing the large lawn with views of Keelung River and Chien Tan Peak, an education center by Chien Tan Pond, and a convention building in between housing the Grand Hall.

CTOYAC is ~400 meters (~5 minutes of walking) from the Jiantan subway/metro station. It is also easily reached from Sun Yat-sen Freeway, which leads straightly to Taipei CKS International Airport in Taoyuan, Taiwan.

The renowned Shilin Market, where numerous delicious Taiwanese food is prepared in the traditional way, is right outside of the Jiantan metro station. The Grand Hotel, built in a Chinese palace style on Chien Tan Peak and a major landmark of Taipei, faces CTOYAC from the other side of the avenue. Radio Taiwan International, American Club in China, and Martyr's Shrine are also in close vicinity to CTOYAC.

Wireless network, A/V equipment, and web streaming will be covered by the local sponsorship the team found. Wireless will be available in both convention/education areas and the residential building. Wikimedia Foundation doesn't need to pay by itself.

Two local sponsors will cover the cost of venue in total. CTOYAC will offer a discount of 15-20%, depending on our conference size; another local sponsor (which would like to remain anonymous until Taipei is chosen as the host city) will cover the rest of cost occurred on venue, including technical facilities and other services.

Item

Proposed Space

Price (for budget use only)

Notes

Main hall

Chiang Ching-kuo Grand Hall, with 800 seats

NT$22,000 (US$670) per half day, NT$39,600 (US$1,205) per day

(All cost paid from local sponsorship, so Wikimedia Foundation doesn't need to pay by itself.)

Conference rooms are located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of education center. The lobby on ground floor and the open porch by the pond can be used as the community venue. There are about 40 seats in the area, and additional tables/benches can be accommodated on or by the porch. CTOYAC is also considering modifying the area into a coffee bar by the end of 2006. In addition, when the function room (with a capacity of over 200) is not accommodating lectures, it can be used as the community venue as well. These spaces are open till 22:00.

The education building overlooks Chien Tan Pond in a quiet landscape garden that is isolated from the surrounding busy areas of north central Taipei.

The residential building (right), viewed from the large lawn, is connected with the convention building (left), which houses the CCK Grand Hall.

A function room with a capacity of 200 in theater style. It can also be arranged in banquet or reception styles.

There are more than 7 rooms of the same size that can be used for workshops, seminars, and BoF.

CTOYAC has a 10-story residential building on site for accommodation. There are 889 beds for a capacity of 956 guests in various room types ranging from luxury suites to 8-person rooms. The building is connected with the convention building, and all rooms are air-conditioned. The building faces a great lawn in the CTOYAC garden, overlooks Keelung River, and has a view of Chien Tan Peak. Accommodation during the conference could be covered by local sponsors, so Wikimedia Foundation doesn't need to pay by itself.

The residential building has a nice lobby (pictured below) that opens 24 hours. There are 30 seats and a capacity of more people is allowed. Next to the lobby is a convenient store, which opens between 07:00 and 23:00. The ATM in the residential building is linked to international networks and accepts Visa and MasterCard. There are also public phones in the building for international calls (calling cards sold in the convenience store nearby).

Room type

Beds/Guests per room

Number of rooms

Total capacity of guests

Price (per person rates based on full occupancy)

Notes

CTOYAC suite

1/2

9

18

NT$2,400 (US$72) per room per night (US$36/person night)

(All cost covered by local sponsorship, so Wikimedia Foundation doesn't need to pay by itself.)

CTOYAC two rooms

2/2

86

172

NT$1,880 (US$57) per room per night (US$28.5/person night)

CTOYAC 4-bed rooms

4/4

65

260

NT$2,700 (US$82) per room per night (US$20.5/person night)

Lobby of the residential building.

A two-bed room in the building (every room has an independent bathroom with shower and toilet).

A four-bed room in the building (every room has an independent bathroom with shower and toilet).

Across the street of CTOYAC is the elegant Grand Hotel in ~200 meters. The Grand Hotel, built in a Chinese palace style on Chien Tan Peak, is a major landmark in Taipei and has been used by state guests and VIPs. Typical rates (before discounts that may be negotiated) range from NT$3,850 (US$117) to NT$5320 (US$162) per room per night.

Breakfasts and lunches are provided by the CTOYAC restaurant on-site. Food can be prepared in Western styles or in Taiwanese and other Chinese cuisines. Food can be served in banquet style or buffet style. All these particulars can be accommodated to our need and request. The cost of breakfasts and lunches will be covered in total from local sponsorship.

Taipei is a city with plentiful and colorful night life that offers many cool and relaxed places for parties. Although the exact party place cannot be arranged right now because most places do not accept reservations this early, we do have several plans in mind, and they can be adjusted depending on what style the participants prefer.

For a disco and lounge style, we propose Y17 Youth Center, a very nice place that is easily reached from CTOYAC (the conference venue) by MRT and foot.

Y17 Center picture 1

Y17 Center picture 2

Y17 Center picture 3

For a special party in a specific institution like the MIT museum in Wikimania 2006, it is possible but it will take some time to arrange. If interested, we can have a Wikimania tour on Monday to the National Palace Museum, which has a large collection of Chinese artwork brought by the Kuomingtang from mainland China in 1949 during the Chinese Civil War.

Party for VIP and sponsors:

It's easy in Taipei to find a quiet and chic place with a capacity of 40-60 people for the VIP and sponsor party. Restaurants around the Shida Night Market, for example Pisces, have nice atmosphere. Some restaurants provide entire-floor reservations, for example, Vinovino. These restaurants are also easy to reach by MRT.

We will arrange sightseeing tours open to all attendees and their guests. Trips can be arranged on a break day during the conference, in the evening, or on days immediately following the conference. Topmost attractions in Taipei include National Palace Musuem, Yangmingshan National Park, Maokong Tea Farm, Taipei 101, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and others. Various themes can be covered, for example, metropolitan sightseeing, local cultural experiences, natural sceneries, outdoor explorations, and so on. If there are enough people in a tour, we can hire charter buses for transportation.

Taipei offers a rich nightlife. There are nice bars and pubs if one wants to get some drinks in the western style. There are also night markets where numerous delicious Taiwanese foods are cooked in the traditional way. For traditional Chinese operas, one can go to the National Concert Hall or the National Theater (both at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Park), which are reached by Metro Taipei in ~25 minutes from CTOYAC.

The following table summaries estimated cost for flights from all continents between August 2006 and January 2007, based on search results at http://www.zuji.com.hk. Typical prices for August 2006 are not available yet, but should be close to or lower than the winter (north hemisphere) prices. Tax and fees varies (ranges between US$150-250, depending on actual fuel prices and specific airlines) and are not included.

From

Costs (in US$)

North America

Los Angeles

$553 (CI)

Mexico City

$947 (MH); $1049 (CI)

New York

$725 (AC); $783 (CI)

San Francisco

$603 (CI); $605 (AC); $630 (JL)

Toronto

$1416 (AC+BR)

Vancouver

$1048 (NH); $1083 (AC); $1289 (CI)

Europe

Amsterdam

$938 (LH)

Frankfurt

$898 (TG); $898 (LH)

London

$667 (KL); $688 (LH)

Moscow

$759 (KL); $780 (SU)

Paris

$698 (LH); $733 (VN); $934 (AF)

Rome

$866 (AZ); $892 (LH); $950 (KL)

Vienna

$799 (KL); $924 (AZ); $1104 (CI)

Warsaw

$823 (KL); $836 (LH)

From

Costs (in US$)

Asia

Bangkok

$266 (KL)

Delhi

$586 (AI); $760 (CI); $775 (CX)

Hong Kong*

$116 (CI); $178 (TG); $178 (BR)

Seoul

$417 (CX); $467 (KE); $475 (TG)

Singapore*

$218 (CI); $224 (BR); $232 (TG)

Tel Aviv

$799 (KL)

Tokyo

$329 (UA); $347 (JL); $347 (BR)

Oceania

Sydney*

$519 (MH); $632 (QF); $654 (CI)

Africa

Cairo

$883 (MS)

Johannesburg

$1044 (SA)

South America

Buenos Aires

$1350 (CI)

Rio de Janeiro

$1500 (CI)

Maracaibo

$2500 (AA - Miami - LA - Taipei)

* Prices for Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney in USD are converted from the original amounts in HKD, SGD or AUD, respectively.

A taxi ride from CKS Airport to Taipei takes about 25-35 minutes and the fare is about NT$1100 (US$33). There are official dispatchers for taxi at the airport terminals and Taipei taxis are metered.

Public transportation

Shuttle buses run between CKS Airport and Taipei Main Station, and the ride takes about 40-50 minutes. Bus fares range from NT$110 (~US$3.35, United Bus) to NT$125 (~US$3.80, Kuo-Kuang Bus), and groups of 10 or more usually get a 15% discount.

From Taipei Main Station, one can take Metro TaipeiDanshui Line (Red Line) towards Danshui and get off at Jiantan Station, which is ~400 meters from CTOYAC. Use Exit 1 at Jiantan Station and walk along Jihe Rd. (southwest), turn left at Tonghe St. onto Zhongshan N. Rd. Sec. 4, and CTOYAC is on the right at 16 Zhongshan N. Rd. Sec. 4.

Taipei has a newly expanded metro/subway system that carries you to most of interesting places fast and comfortably. The fare for Metro Taipei is calculated on length of trip and ranges between NT$20 (US$0.6) and NT$65 (US$2).

It is also easy to catch a taxi on streets and reach places that are not served by Metro Taipei or buses. Taipei taxies are metered. The initial charge is NT$70 (US$2.1) and includes the fare for the first 1.5 km (1 mile); additional charges are NT$5 (US$0.15) per 300 meters or 2 minutes of stopping/slow traffic.

Taipei has an extensive bus system, and most signs are in both Chinese and English.

More information about local transportation in Taipei can be found here.

The bidding team has contacted many potential sponsors. Some of them have shown great interest in sponsoring Wikimania and covering all the expenses on venue, technical facilities and services, catering, parties, accommodation, medical insurance, and others. If Taipei is selected as the host city for Wikimania 2007, formal sponsorship arrangements will be finalized. According to our conservative estimation, local sponsorship will be no less than NT$3,300,000 (US$100,000+).

Institute of Information Science of Academia Sinica will coordinate various resources from the government, academia, and enterprises into this important event. IIS hopes to strengthen Taiwan's open source community and establish a healthy and enduring network to connect with the world by looking into several issues that may be discussed on Wikimania, for example, local developing progress of open source and local initiation of open content in Taiwan.

Nan Shan Life Insurance of AIG (American International Group) will provide an accidental death insurance (with a benefit of NT$2,000,000 =~US$60,800) and an accidental medical insurance (with a compensation of up to NT$200,000 =~US$6,100 on actual medical expenses) for each Wikimania 2007 attendee.

Cottingham & Company

Cottingham is a drink company and it will provide all alcoholic drinks (e.g., beer, whisky, vodka, etc.) free of charge for Wikimania parties.

Business Next is a business and IT magazine in Taiwan and they will provide web casting/streaming service for Wikimania. More sponsorship from them is being arranged as further discussions are taking place.

National Taiwan University is the oldest, largest and most prestigious university in Taiwan. Dr. Si-Chen Lee, President of NTU, has written to us in expression of his support to Wikimania 2007 Taipei. He has assigned the NTU Library and NTU Computer Center as sponsoring units. Detailed sponsorship will be arranged after further discussions.

Rinto Jiang: obviously will help for matters related to Indonesia and Malaysia, but I'm located in Tainan.

Damian Finol: Translations into spanish, including any promo media, can act as a liason between spanish interested people in attending and the Wikimania 2007 team. Plus I can help as a translator in-situ if I can get to go

Taipei is the largest city on Taiwan, a dynamic high-tech island in East Asia and world's fourth largest producer of IT products. The government and IT companies in Taiwan are devoted to innovative models and technologies, and the movement of free software and open content is advancing with an ever-growing impact. We have discussed Wikimania 2007 with Academia Sinica and various leading companies in Taiwan, and we are very confident to receive at least NT$3,300,000 (US$100,000+) in local sponsorship. Considering the low cost index in Taipei, we will have enough money from local sponsorship to pay for venue, catering, accommodation, and even travel scholarships.

Asia has world's most Internet users (38% of the world) and broadband subscribers (~68% of the world) [2]. An estimation of 10% of total edits at Wikimedia comes from Asia [3]. Wikimedia possesses an important community in Asia who share the same visions, values and characters, Wikimedia also faces a great market in Asia. We sincerely invite the global community of Wikimedia to Asia after our conventions in Frankfurt and Boston, and we believe that Wikimania Taipei will bring more diverse audience and perspectives, assisting Wikimedia and Wikimania in fulfilling its commitment to an international project for all human beings.

Taipei has functioned as the capital of Republic of China on Taiwan for over 50 years, with rich Chinese culture and a unique blend of other Asian cultures. Known as "the beautiful island", Taiwan is also an adventure treasure trove with high mountains, spectacular gorges, hot springs, and many others. The flights from Europe/America to Asia do not cost significantly higher than other intercontinental trips, and the cost index in Taipei is much lower than other global cities. We are certain that Wikimania Taipei will offer a pleasant, tasteful, spectacular, and culturally rich experience for all participants.

Reaching far, going diverse, we sincerely invite all to Taipei in 2007, for a Globe in Accord.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Park is one of the city's defining landmarks and the largest square in central Taipei. The National Concert Hall and the National Theater are also located in the Park near the Hall.

Taipei has a subtropical climate. According to recordings for August in the past 3 years, the monthly average daily mean temperature is ~29 C (~85 F), the daily max is ~33 C (~92 F), and the daily min is ~27 C (~80 F). All indoor spaces (conference halls, rooms, restaurants, residential rooms, etc.) are air-conditioned.

New Taiwan Dollar is the official currency in Taiwan, and banks here provide exchange services for foreign currencies. In the arrival halls of CKS International Airport, Bank of Taiwan and Mega International Commercial Bank buy and sell foreign currencies 24 hours a day. Visitors with a VISA Plus, Maestro, or Cirrus cards can also withdraw New Taiwan Dollars at any ATM that accepts the card. Most ATM supply NT$1,000 notes, and some also provide $100 notes. Checks are not popular in Taiwan and there is no traveler's check in NTD. But banks buy checks and the rate is sometimes better than cash. The exchange rates for cash are provided below: (2006-09-19, from BofT, MICB)

Weakness 1: Citizens of the PRC will have difficulty visiting Taiwan without a local sponsor.

Solution 1: Wikimedia Taiwan is going to be founded later this year, and it can act as the sponsor for PRC citizens. The Academia Sinica as Wikimania sponsor can also act as the local sponsor for visitors who are PRC citizens.

Weakness 2: Typhoons may strike and force schedule changes.

Solution 2: All conference buildings, including the convention area, restaurant, and residential building, are connected and are not affected by weather. It is very rare for a typhoon to cause major delays at airport or major surface transportation. The CTOYAC is very close to Metro Taipei station and the Sun Yat-sen Freeway that connects straightly to CKS Airport and Taipei.

Weakness 3: Wikimania Taipei may irritate the PRC government and make the unblocking of Wikimedia in Mainland China more difficult.

Solution 3: Wikimedia is a non-governmental organization and a non-profit corporation. Neutrality and openness/transparency are among the key principles and characteristics of Wikimedia. Wikimedia and Wikimania are not to be portrayed as having political purposes or agendas. Wikimania city is selected by its merits for an international scientific conference and the advancement of Wikimedia business, not by political factors. On the other hand, having Wikimania in a Chinese-speaking city near the Mainland China may help the progress of unblocking. Thank to the Chinese language media and the growing cross-Strait communications, Wikimania Taipei may become an excellent window for the PRC government to closely study Wikimedia and understand it as a neutral, open, non-governmental, and beneficial project. In any way, the benefits gained from advancing Asian markets outweigh the supposed risk on PRC relations.

Both IT enterprises and the general public are interested in innovative models, open content, and knowledge sharing.

We have strong support from Academia Sinica (the national academy of the Republic of China) and several IT enterprises, and we are very confident to receive at least NT$3,300,000 (US$100,000+) in sponsorship.

Conference venue (including wireless network, A/V, teleconference, etc), catering and party, accommodation, and accidental life/medical insurance will be paid in total from local sponsorship.

local community support

A devoted, motivated, energetic, relatively large Wikimedian community in Taiwan.

There is an important Wikimedia community in Asia who share the same visions, values and characters. Asia has about 68% of world's broadband users and it is a great market for Wikimedia.

Taiwan is located in central East Asia, with quick and affordable connections to all East Asian and West Pacific countries, for example, Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, etc.

Taiwan has the freest government and the second freest media in Asia, according to Freedom House's reports.

Taipei as a global city

Taipei is a highly developed city in Asia and provides excellent infrastructure for conventions and tourism.

Taipei is served by Taoyuan International Airport, which is connected directly to numerous cities in Asia, Europe, Oceania, and North America.